


Our Hearts With Loyal Flames

by ScribeProtra



Category: Girl Genius (Webcomic)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Attempted Non Con, Attempted Underage Rape, Gen, Gore, Graphic Violence, Murder, Off screen Torture, agatha flips out, non sexual nudity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-28
Updated: 2020-11-28
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:00:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27753457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScribeProtra/pseuds/ScribeProtra
Summary: Agatha gets mistaken for a female Spark by the Geisterdamen three years before canon and then things got more and more complicated.***Author Note: Nothing actually shippy happens in the fic, but it is definitely set up to happen several years down the road- so if that bothers you, you won’t like this fic.
Relationships: Agatha Heterodyne & Axel Higgs, Dimo/Agatha Heterodyne, pre Dimo/Agatha Heterodyne
Comments: 16
Kudos: 52





	Our Hearts With Loyal Flames

Title: Our Hearts With Loyal Flames  
Pairing: pre Dimo/Agatha Heterodyne, Dimo + Agatha Heterodyne, Agatha Heterodyne + Axel Higgs  
Characters: Agatha Heterodyne, Dimo, Axel Higgs,  
Tags: Alternate Universe, Gore, Graphic Violence, Off Screen Torture, Attempted Non Con, Murder, Attempted Underage Rape, agatha flips out

Author Note: Nothing actually shippy happens in the fic, but it definitely sets it up to happen several years down the road- so if that bothers you, you won’t like this fic.

***

She should have realised something horrible would happen. Any time it looked like she had made a friend, something always ruined it. Her headaches would attack, or they would get this amazing job offer, or transfer to a different University, or just vanish leaving no forwarding address.

This time had already been odd, as Miss Ashtear had been the very first female Spark Agatha had ever met. She’d heard about them, in the Heterodyne Boys plays and other old stories. But she’d only met male Sparks so far. She’d never wondered about it before, but that was strange, wasn't it? Agatha even went and looked it up. Trans Poly University's Sparked students had been about evenly divided between the sexes until about 15 years ago and suddenly it got more and more male only.

Agatha couldn’t see any reason for it. Neither did anyone else she asked. In fact several professors started looking intrigued when she asked about it.

She didn’t have proof that this was why her life had gotten sudden;y horribly terrible- but! One night, Agatha had stayed late, her secretary duties to Doctor Beetle having been overwhelming. Agatha had wanted a friend to simply tolerant her presence and Miss Ashtear was so *kind*. She’d only intended to just be a moment when she felt something sting her neck. Her first thought was mosquito but then she fell over, unable to move.

She could breathe and blink, her heart still beat. But she couldn’t make a noise, couldn’t twitch a finger as strange women appeared, with blank white eyes, long white hair, and soft pearly skin. They’d wrapped Agatha up in something her mind kept insisting felt like silk but clung like glue.

She couldn’t even whimper as she’d been loaded onto a green glowing spider and they fled Beetleburg and into the wilderness.

***

Agatha had lost her glasses when she had been grabbed. Which made the ensuing weeks even more terrifying. The spider ladies took her out into the Wastelands, traveling ever eastward.

She attempted to struggle and escape or something the first few days, when the paralytic drug wore off, but nothing she did *worked*. Plus if she struggled too much she would trigger a headache and be flat on the ground sobbing, helpless and easy prey.

After she gave up they stopped drugging her and simply tied her up in the green silk-like webbing from their spiders. 

After four weeks of hard fast travel, they arrived in a large city, the castle in the middle rising even higher. Agatha didn’t get to see much more than blurry shapes before the spider ladies took her down, down, down, deep under tunnels and caverns before coming back up into the castle itself.

They wound their way through empty halls and arrived at a lab. There were two people there, performing an experiment. Without her glasses, Agatha sight was blurred enough that their faces only had shadowed pits for eyes. Which made these two even more terrifying.

The older man, round with lazy living and receding, greying red hair straightened as they came in. The young woman about Agatha’s age kept working on the remains of the body strapped to the slab. The head was still intact and was of an older red haired woman. The woman’s body twitched despite being such a ruin that Agatha couldn’t see how she could be anything but a corpse.

The smell of copper and waste, alongside other chemicals that brought to mind worrisome- terrifying- ideas for what could happen to her, made her knees turn to water. She was going to be the next experiment wasn’t she?

The man gave Agatha the same feeling of being in charge as Dr Beetle. He was most likely the ruling prince of this castle.

He said something in the gibberish language to the spider woman who responded. Agatha trembled and tried to shrink further into herself while also not making a noise. She didn't want his attention at all.

But her wants were denied as they always were as he stepped closed and- maybe smiled at her. She could see his teeth now at least.

“And what is your name and Spark specialty?” he

Agatha blinked at him, thrown and scared and wanting to go home so badly.

“I- I don’t have one?” she said, glancing around trying to think through her worsening headache, “I’m not a Spark, sir.”

He had stepped close enough for Agatha to see his face twist into rage. Agatha head throbbed and she leaned back as far as her captors would let her move.

The young woman finally reacted, throwing her head back and cackling in full gone Spark fugue.

“Oh dear, did they manage to find someone useless this time?” she said. Agatha recognized the mocking tone she used as everyone saved her parents and a rare few of her teachers used it back home. It was gleeful and cruel, excited to see someone failing.

Agatha glanced around, panicking. Was the tone directed at her, the Spider women, or the elder Spark?

The young woman continued mocking, “Goodness Father, how will you get the machine to work, if they are going to start dragging in random women?” She was looking at the Spider women and started laughing, madness echoing through her voice. The women still holding Agatha’s arms stiffened, their hands tight enough to bruise. Agatha fought down another whimper.

The Prince’s face was still too far away for Agatha to make out details, just the shape of it with the salt and pepper beard. She had no idea what expressions he was making but it made the Princess stop laughing and back up.

“Yes,” the Prince said slowly starting towards the woman, “I do need a Spark for the machine to work. A strong one would be best.”

The red haired woman whirled and dashed for the door only for the spider ladies to block her way. Agatha fell against the nearest wall trying to stay small and silent as she stared wide-eyed at the fight. 

The human woman struggled and screamed, voice strong with the Spark as she pulled out knives and started stabbing. She got in some good blows but when the Prince joined in, was overpowered and struck low. The red haired woman lay on the ground, unmoving as Agatha watched the spider ladies inject the same paralytic poison they had used on Agatha. As the three of them started to leave with their new victim, the Prince turned to one of his human guards saying as he gestured at Agatha, “Bring that to the Jägermonster. Perhaps having a toy will get him to yield.”

He then went after the spider ladies and their new prey. Agatha could still hear the echoes of the other woman’s mingled enraged and terrified screams.

***

Agatha tried to fight back, to get away, but there were six trained guards and a headache descended on her at the worst possible moment, leaving her hanging limply and sobbing as they dragged her down to the dungeons.

She couldn’t think, could barely see between losing her glasses and her tears, everything was just a blur of confusing turns and hallways and stairs. The walls shifted from tabetries and decorations to cold hard stone.

They stopped at a cell. At least Agatha assumed it was a cell. Instead of a heavy door, it was criss crossing metal bars, set close enough together that she would have trouble getting more than her hand though. There was a faint high humming noise coming from the bars. A metal door was part of the wall. The entire thing was sturdy and well made, firmly set into the surrounding stone.

One of the guardsmen went to a panel set in the wall next to the cell and fiddled with the controls. The hum died down as four of the others all took up positions, aiming their guns at some dark shape inside.

The last guard casually removed Agatha’s locket and pocketed it. She was still too stunned and weepy that she couldn’t even react outside of a sob.

He was keeping a hold of Agatha, mostly by her hair and the back of her shirt.

“Hey, asshole, got you a meal!” he called out as the first guard unlocked and opened the cage door.

Agatha flailed and yelled as she was tossed inside, scraping her hands along the floor.

The door clanged back shut, the humming noise resumed, and the guards all left laughing. Agatha hiccuped, keeping her face pressed against the floor as her head pounded in rhythm to her frantic heartbeat.

She took a deep breath and carefully leveraged herself up. She really was in the same cell as a Jägermonster. He was crouched down in front of her, his hands hovering in the air like he didn’t know what he wanted to do. 

He was completely naked and mostly covered in thick green fur. There were shaved spots all over his body, with various degrees of healed surgical scars. One eye was just an empty socket, while the other gleamed completely yellow, pupil, iris, and schela. Neat stitching crawled across his throat, and when he smiled, gaps of missing teeth were showcased.

He was looking at her with his one eye full of wonder. It terrified her, as she didn’t know- didn't understand what he could want that would make him so happy.

A quick glance down and thank everything, he wasn’t wanting *that*.

He made a wheezing noise and winched, reaching up to rub his throat. Agatha bit her lower lip as she carefully positioned herself better.

“Hello,” she said, her own voice raspy and sore, “I’m Agatha Clay. I don’t suppose you know any non verbal languages?”

He glanced at her throat and then huffed out a breath before signing out in Adam’s sign language, ‘Any chance you know this?’

He then added a sign Agatha didn’t know at the ends.

“Well, all except the last one,” she agreed before signing ‘hello’ back. The Jägermonster closed his eye and rubbed his face with his hands.

“I’m Agatha Clay from Bettleburg,” she said, “What’s your name?” 

He signed out four letters, d then i then m then o.

“It’s nice to meet you Mister Dimo,” she said scooting a bit away from him, “Unless you really are going to eat me then it is not nice to meet you.”

He flashed her another grin, his shoulders shaking as he tried to laugh. Air came out still, in whistles and breaths, but otherwise he couldn’t make any noise. She was strongly reminded of Adam and tried to fight the urge to relax. She shouldn’t feel safe around a _Jägermonster_.

“Are you going to eat me?” she asked again. He shook his head no, sitting down in front of her.

The metal bars behind her were oddly warm. Probably best not to touch them, if they could keep a Jägermonster captive.

He tilted his head at her, glanced out behind her at the dungeon's main room, and then signed, ‘I bored. Tell me yourself, please?’

...That was a surprisingly polite and not aggressive way for the Jagermonster to phrase that. She would have expected demands and looming over her to make her compile.

She twisted around to look at the room. Everything was blurry without her glasses, but one of the guards had come back, or possible had always been there, and was sitting at an impressive work desk in the middle of the room.

Agatha huffed out a breath. Bother, she couldn’t mention. Well, she didn't know any secrets they would want, other than about Miss Ashtear. Her parent’s work was a secret but she was reasonably certain no one here would care about it. They didn’t want any of Doctor Beetle’s work.

She could probably entertain Mister Dimo by rambling as long as she stayed away from any hint of Miss Ashtear.

Agatha turned back to the Jägermonster with a nod. She gave him her best try at a smile, but the whole situation and sheer ever present terror made it wobbly.

“I,” she said, pride still welling up even with the horror, “Am a student at Transylvania Polygnostic University and have been for the last two years. It is hard, because I have these horrible headaches that attack whenever I get too worked up or something too interesting happens. I live with my parents Adam and Lilith Clay. Adam is a blacksmith and Lilith teaches piano.”

She beamed at him, “Adam can sometimes even repair Sparkwork!”

He grinned at her, his shoulders slumping as he relaxed. There was a quiet moment as they sat there. Agatha let her gaze wander the cell.

There was a pile of straw in one corner, clearly used as a bed, a bucket in the opposite corner which, oh ew, she could smell it from here. The floor sloped a bit down to a drain in the center of the floor. All three walls had manacles set into the walls, some of which had the brown stains of old blood left uncleaned.

Agatha hunched in on herself and trembled, unable to ignore the steady low pulses of terror. The Prince here was willing to use his *own daughter* as an experimental subject. She had no safety here.

The jagermonster crouched down on his belly, whining softly as he inched closer to her. She just reacted without thinking and reached down to pet his hair and neck.

The back of his neck was soft, like a well brushed cats, while his more human hair along his scalp and jawline was stiffer and protective.

Her face suddenly felt hot. It was weird how not weird petting a naked man’s neck felt. Agatha resolved to try and ignore it as she did not think she could deal with it right now.

“I’m okay,” she whispered, “You can get up now, alright?”

He smiled again as he did so. Agatha coughed and removed her hand to fidget. She didn’t think she could fear Dimo as she should. 

She was suddenly utterly exhausted and sniffled, trying not to cry.

“So um. What now?” she asked.

‘What you want?’ Dimo asked.

“I would like to be rescued,” she said wiping at her eyes, “But right now I just want to sleep and eat.”

He rolled his head and shoulders, his joints cracking loud enough for Agatha to hear. He then gestured at the pile of straw.

‘It not good bed,’ he signed, ‘but it only one. Sorry.”

“Thank you,” she whispered as she went over. An examination showed that the straw was prickly and thin. But sleeping on cold stone would sap all body heat and make everything worse.

“Where will you sleep?” she asked. Agatha frowned when he just shrugged at her.

“If you promise not to do any- any impolite hanky panky we can share,” she said.

He nodded and flopped over on the edge. His body was so *warm*, Agatha now has a hard time not burrowing into his side.

Dimo blinked slowly at her before huffing and lifting his arm- oh he was offering to cuddle. Hmm.

“I really really don’t want to do any- um- kissy stuff with you,” Agatha said again. She didn’t want him getting any *ideas*. 

He nodded back and then sighed, ‘I good.’

“Thank you,” she replied, before latching on to him, burrowing her face in his chest fur. He was so *warm* and most of his body was so *soft* and the past days had been so horribly terribly the worst and! She wanted to go *home*!

It was still so bizarre how life had gotten so upside down. A Jager patting her back and letting her cry on his chest was not something that could be reasonably expected!

And yet that as what happened until she finally fell unconscious, tired out from the weeks of stress and terror.

***

Agatha wasn’t sure how much time passed afterwards. She woke up, they fed every so often, she slept when she got tired.

She got a great deal of practice in Adam’s hand signs as Dimo was still mute and neither of them knew when- or if!- he would heal enough to talk again. 

After the third meal, Agatha had to accept an unexpected fact she never would have thought existed. Being imprisoned was quite possibly the most mind numbing, utterly banal and soul crushingly *boring* experience she had ever had. There was nothing to *do*, nothing to look at, Dimo could only offer some conversation, and if she entertained herself by daydreaming too much she would get a painful full on migrain.

She whined and rolled back and forth on the pile of itchy straw because at least it was *something* to focus on other then the blank walls, and the pain pounding through her head.

“How are you so calm?” she asked Dimo, “I can’t stand this at all!”

He just shrugged at her and started rumble-purring again as he petted her hair. Which was a tangled *mess* that kept bothering her but it wasn’t as if she had any options to clean it! The spider ladies has only allowed her breaks to pee, eat, and drink, not bath.

Using the bucket was so embarrassing as it was. Not having any way to get clean just made everything worse. Any time she remembered her skin crawled with the sensation of caked on dirt and *things*.

Dimo suddenly tensed, head snapping up as he stared at the bars. Agatha froze, worried as well. If he was reacting then it had to be bad.

Her eyesight was still blurry and bad as she had not gotten replacement glasses. Plus the headache pounding through her skull made her eyes tear up and her vision worse. 

She still managed to lever herself up into a sitting position.

There was always at least one guard on the other side of the bars. This one however was a lot closer to the cell then all the previous ones. He also did not have any visible weapons pointed at Dimo. He was too far away for Agatha to see any details other than his fine guardsman hat, blond hair, and white skin.

Agatha wiggled around so she could whisper to Dimo, “Do you think you can slam him against the bars and get us out? I’m not seeing any other guards.”

His eye flickered to her. He also shifted so he was more in between the guard and Agatha signing out the letters for ‘no key’.

Damn. That was a bust. She’d have to find some other way for them to escape.

“You must be new,” Agatha called out, “Or very brave to stand so close.”

Dimo grinned and waved a hand in greeting. The guard coughed and fiddled with his pipe.

There was a pause before the guard said, “I’m fairly new, yes.”

Another long silence as they all stared at each other. Agatha was already tense, and yet managed to get more so when she heard more heavy footsteps coming down the stairs.

One of the previous guardsman swaggered into the room. Agatha still didn’t know any of their names so she used Captain, Creepy, Chatter, Wall, Sleepy, and Quiet to tell them apart. This one was Captain and in charge of all the others. Not as good as Sleepy or Chatter but loads better then Creeper. 

Creeper was the *worst*.

Captain glared and thumped newbing over the head before dragging him away from the bars.

“That there is a bonafide wild Jagermonster,” Captain scolded, “Do not get that close or he will do his best to kill you.”

“Yes sir,” the newbie said as he tugged the brim of his hat over his face, “what about the girl?”

“Eh, some nobody the Prince didn’t want. She’ll be killed by the Jager eventually,” Captain said, tone uncaring of Agatha in the slightest.

She tightened her grip on Dimo. She was used to being tossed aside and being looked down on but it still hurt and she still hated it so much.

How odd. Her eyesight must be tricking her. They were too far away after all, and yet, she felt as if she saw a warning flicker of sheer rage cross Newbie’s face before vanishing again.

“Understood sir,” Newbie said in- Huh. That was the bland tone the minion staff and cleaning staff took when speaking with Professors, Students, and Doctors they hated. How odd.

Could she use this? Oh, what did that matter? She needed to use anything she could to get out of here. She was going to use it.

The only question was how

***

The next half hour was Captain showing Newbie around, explaining how to work the more Sparky machines. It turned out the cell bars were electrified, thus the warmth and why Dimo hadn’t just bent them open.

She tried not to get ideas or excited because every time she started thinking about such interesting thing she would get just the worst headache and she really *really* couldn’t have one right now.

But how the inspiration she felt at hearing about how the machinery in the middle of the other room worked! It was such a distraction!

It did not help that she had nothing else to focus on. Just blank and empty everything. 

She could feel the newest headache looming and tapped her fingernails against her thigh as she looked around trying to find something to help.

Dimo bumped his arm against hers getting Agatha’s attention. He gave her the tooth gaped grin and signed, ‘Want try something?’

Agatha shrugged and then nodded. She was out of ideas and her head throbbed too much to think.

Dimo gave her the sign for examine and then placed his hand in hers. Agatha blinked at him, taken aback before looking down and- oh.

Focusing very hard on the feel of his fur, tracing tendons and bones and silently naming them off in her head. It helped keep her focused enough to remain calm. Even better she could now actually listen to the end of Captain’s explanation to Newbie as the hand examination sorta just-. It wasn’t shielding, properly. Maybe dodging?

However it worked, Agatha felt the tension warning of an oncoming headache fade away.

“You got all this?” Captain asked after he finished the lecture.

“Yes, sir,” Newbie said.

“And don’t stand so close to the bars, you’ll get killed at best,” Captain said before sighing and rubbing his face, “Well I am off to bed. Don’t be a moron and just keep watch.”

“Yes, sir.”

After the Captain's footsteps stop echoing, Newbie turned towards them. Agatha tensed up and let go of Dimo’s hand to keep a wary eye on Newbie.

“Godfather, what the actual and entire *fuck*,” Newbie said, pulling his pipe out and pointing it at Dimo, “When Jenka told me you needed help I did not expect all of this.”

Agatha looked between them, baffled and thrown as Dimo signed, ‘I not see it too. Very surprised.’

“You two know each other?” Agatha asked.

“Yes, Miss for decades,” Newbie said as Dimo grinned and nodded.

‘She don’t know’ Dimo signed and then added the sign Agatha didn't know the meaning of.

“Oh, am I finally getting a translation for that?” Agatha asked. 

“You are, Miss. It means Heterodyne.”

Agatha stared at Newbie, she really should get his actual name, before slowly turning her blank stare to Dimo. He just grinned at her and nodded.

It took several tries for Agatha to stop sputtering and snap out, “I can’t possibly be a Heterodyne! I’m too broken and- and stupid! Nothing I build *works*!”

Dimo’s expression when on a journey as he opened and closed his mouth, air wheezing though as he tried to reply.

She glared and smacked his nose like a naughty puppy, “And stop straining your throat, you are far too injured to talk!”

“Miss- uh-”

“Agatha Clay,” Agatha said.

“Nice to meet you Miss Clay, I’m Axel Higgs. Jagers were designed by the Heterodynes to always recognize a Heterodyne. It is a surefire way to tell if someone is a member of the House. If he says you’re one, then you are one.”

“Then you’re whatever is damaged and is giving you a false positive,” Agatha hissed poking Dimo in the chest again, “I can not possibly be a Heterodyne!”

Dimo tilted his head, shrugged, and just beamed at her. Agatha narrowed her eyes at him, straightening her back. How dare he! She was not a Heterodyne and she was going to prove it and rub his face in it!

But first!

“Any chance you can get us out of here?” Agatha asked Mister Higgs.

He took in a deep breath and let it out in a long low whistle through his teeth.

“How good a chance of success do you want?” he asked.

Agatha nodded because that was a good thing to clarify, “As high a percentage as possible.”

“Well good news is there are no plans for either of you two dying,” Mister Higgs said, “But I would put a successful escape right now at- hmmmm- maybe a five percent chance? You haven’t broken though, after all.”

“And since I am not a Spark I won’t,” Agatha reminded him sharply before sighing deeply, “Even worse, I have no tools, no supplies to make anything. They even stole my locket!”

She sighed and rubbed her face. This was going nowhere.

“Can you get me glasses with-” she rattled over her prescription, “At least?”

“Yes, Miss. That and a bit more,” Mister Higgs said, “Can get you tools, if I do a little bit at a time.”

Agatha nodded, “Alright. If that is what needs to happen, that is what happens. Can you get me new clothes and glasses first? And soap, I need a bath so badly.”

“Will do Miss,” Mister Higgs said, giving her a salute.

There wasn’t much else to do after that. Higgs needed to finish his shift before sneaking around for supplies. Agatha wandered back to the straw pile and watched as Dimo had a conversation with Higgs. There were a lot of names she didn’t know, people Dimo wanted to get messages out to.

Agatha suddenly and inexplicably wanted to meet them. Which did not make any sense whatsoever.

What would have made sense was wanting to know who they all were so she could follow the conversation and not feel lost. But since the urge was from wanting to know more about Dimo… it was so odd.

Eventually out of sheer boredom Agatha fell into a doze. It was fitful and uneasy, bad memories and the cold of the stone making it hard.

Was still better than more hours staring at the wall.

***

Once Dimo came and snuggled with her, bringing his hot water bottle body to keep the chill of the dungeon away Agatha properly fell asleep. When she woke up again, some unknown hours later, there were supplies at the door. Even better, they were on their side of the bars. 

Agatha made a high pitched noise of glee as she scrambled upwards and pounced. A clean dress! Clean under things! Clean socks! SHOES! Two buckets of water, rags, a towel and soap! Hairbrush! Blanket to sleep with!

Agatha trembled at the last ones, trying to contain her rapturous joy. A wrench and a screwdriver and bits of WIRE and SCREWS and COGS! She could MAKE A THING.

No idea if she had enough to make a useful thing but sweet blue fire, she could have something to *do*.

She wanted to dance in place, she was so utterly happy.

It took a bit to do things as Agatha wanted to get clean and invent at the same time. But they also needed to hide their stuff so the other guards wouldn’t steal it.

Dimo was a great help with hiding her tinkering supplies in their pile of straw, but honestly there wasn’t any other place to hide the clothing and overall state of ‘having had a bath’.

And of course Creeper was the first one to enter for possibly day shift. Black lighting she was not going to enjoy dealing with his sleeze again.

He peered at her and taunted, “Now who’d you spread your legs for, to get all that?”

Dimo could only make noise in his chest, but goodness was he capable of it. The growl was deeper than expected, filling the room and making Agatha feel as if someone was painting the inside of her bones with grease.

Creeper paled in terror, taking a step back. 

Mister Higgs was also glaring, jaw tight around his pipe as he said, “I kept watch and no one did any rude thing to the young Miss.”

Creeper leaped at that, turning to Higgs with his sleazy implying smile, “Ooooh? Not even you? That is impressive getting past the Jagermonster. He’s like a dragon with her.”

Creeper nudged Higg’s side and joked, “You got to show me how it’s done.” 

Before Higgs could reply, Quiet came down the steps carrying the food tray for Agatha and Dimo. 

Agatha didn’t know if the amount of food was increased after she was thrown in or not. Dimo dodged the question when she asked. She hoped it was intended for two people as she did not like the idea of stealing Dimo’s food. He kept trying to insist she get the majority and she had to argue with him for equal portions.

The best part, however, was Creeper getting distracted and leaving her alone.

The worst part was having to listen to Creeper talk about her body to Higgs and making gross jokes and worst remarks about what he wanted to do to Agatha.

Higgs didn’t like it either judging by his increasingly obvious attempts to get Creeper to stop talking about it. It was nice, having someone other than Dimo getting aggregated by Creeper’s talking. Especially when he was capable of verbally forcing the conversation to a different topic.

Agatha decided she liked Higgs, too. He was even more trustworthy and safe than she had already assumed.

***

The rest of the day passed slowly, by horrible excruciating millimeters of seconds. Agatha tried to be patient and wait for Higgs’s shift so she could try and build something. Building *now* would get her shot and killed and the entire plan was to survive. But it was so *hard*! 

Mostly she used her new glasses to examine the room beyond their cell. She could pick out details now! It was so wonderfully lovely!

There was the same type of cell they were in in the far wall. The guardstation in the center, filled with clever complicated machinery that made Agatha’s fingers itchy with wanting to pick it apart. There were two regular, wooden and iron barred doors at the last two ends of the chamber, one was the stairway Agatha had been dragged down. The other was a mystery. She should ask Higgs about it, just in case he had forgotten to check it. Very unlikely as he was entirely competent, but still!

Eventually she was bored enough to start doing silly math games by counting the bricks that made up the cell’s roof, walls, and floor.

Dimo either couldn’t really follow the math games or his sign language couldn’t translate very well. Still worked to whittle away the hours of boredom.

But yes, eventually! It was nightfall! Agatha could tell because Higgs was alone on his shift!

“Good evening Mister Higgs,” she said brightly, beaming at him.

He paused and blinked slowly at her. It was hard to tell with his expression of seen it all jadied boredom but Agatha rather thought he was happy.

“Evening, Miss,” he said politely, tipping his hat at her, “Supplies or report first?”

“Information please,” Agatha replied, “I don’t think I could pay attention if we did supplies first.”

Higgs was really good at reports. He was clear, precise, and spoke at an easy to follow speed. 

He was currently investigating two things. A path for them to take with the least amount of guards and traps as well as a reason to call the Empire’s forces down on this city.

“The Jagermonsters would be very eager to help for the slightest excuse,” Higgs said, “Just need to find them a reason the Baron would accept.”

Agatha nodded at that, “Because they love fighting and one of their brothers is captured.”

Dimo made his wheezing laugh and Agathat tilted her chin up stubborning and declared, “Seeing as I am an utterly normal and very boring assistant and student and thus not to their interest at all.”

Higgs fiddled with his pipe, making agreeable humming noises that made Agatha squint at him in warning. She knew that agreedable noise! She had made that agreedable noise! It was for use on skilled brilliant professors who’s madness made them incapable of basic necessary life skills!

Once they were free she was going to show them both they were wrong and she was right and she was going to stand victoriously over their humbled forms and LAUGH ABOUT IT!

Agatha got distracted from such glorious visions by Higgs coughing. She shook her head and refocused, clapping her hands together.

“So what reasons would the Baron agree with?”

“Any Other tech, any proof of active rebellion, any proof Prince Strumvorious plans on attacking his neighbors,” Higgs listed, ticking them off on his fingers.

“Does kidnapping citizens not count?”

“Not the first one to do that, would need to end with your local ruler getting angry enough to declare war.” Higgs said.

Agatha sighed and rubbed her face groaning, “Black fire. Any hint as to the Prince doing any of- well- that?”

Higgs looked disgruntled as he puffed his pipe before saying, “No. I’m not sure I can forge any proof either. Not enough to fool the Baron at least.”

Thus they were on their own.

“We’ll need to be stealthy in escaping then,” Agatha decided, “Unless you find proof that’d get the Wulfenbach involved. So! Tell me the routes from here to outside.”

“Well, the first one is digging a hole in your cell. You’re directly above some tunnels that go pretty far down below the castle. They’re also very maze-like and twisty and I haven’t found any maps so good chance we’ll get lost,``Higgs said. He thought and then added, “There are also an unknown amount of monsters and dangerous escaped experiments down there.”

Agatha nodded, “That is the route the spider women took me on. I really don’t want to get caught by them. Next option?”

Higgs hesitated and asked, “Spider women?”

“Very tall pale, white haired, white eyed women who ride story tall spiders,” Agatha explained, ”They’re the ones to capture me and bring me here. They’re working with the Prince.”

Higgs nodded and said, “ Ah, the Geisterdamen. I haven’t seen any of them around, so it is good to know I need to keep watch, Miss. Anyway, the second route I found is breaking out through this door, stealing servant uniforms, pretending to be servants and leaving with the rest of them.”

“They hire contructs?”

“Not that I’ve seen, no.”

“Then Dimo can’t really hide, and I am not an actress, so that one is out. Any others?”

“Break out, make our way to the highest point while getting supplies, making this- have you seen Chinese flight kites before?”

Agatha nodded, “My aerodynamic classes had them as an example of lift.”

“Well if you can make anything like those we could glide over the moat.”

“I have literally never built anything that works,” Agatha pointed out “Even using only non-explosive wires and gears they still explode with great force.” 

Higgs looked quietly amused, lips turning up at the corners. It took a beat of silence for Agatha to realize he was once again taking that as proof she was a Heterodyne. She glared at him and gritted out, “Any other options?” 

“Just two more that I’ve found,” he said as he took out his pipe to do smoker things to it, “Fourth option is breaking out, make your way to the sewers and hope it both has enough good air to breath and the exit is big enough for you.”

He finished fiddling with his pipe and put it back in his mouth saying, “Course you could still do the fifth one of slaughter and kill everyone while you just head for the main gate,” 

“That would be idiotic so we’re not doing that one,” Agatha told him primly. She thought some more before deciding, “Third option feels the most doable. Would only require enough wood, wire, and sailcloth to make three kites. The rest either require us being very good actors, or information we don’t have.”

“The only problem would be if the kites explode and hopefully you two can help me make sure they don’t.”

“Could be fun, exploding kites,” Higgs said while Dimo nodded.

Agatha made a face because it was true but- “If we survive escaping we can play with that. Right now we need to get stuff that *works*.”

“As you command, Miss,” Higgs agreed before asking, “Shall I keep mapping out routes or shall we leave tonight?”

“Finding the best route and the guard’s schedule so we can just slip through would be best. Can you also keep an eye out for the other options? In case they’ve got a better chance of working.”

“Yes, Miss.”

Now!” Agatha felt a smile spreading so wide and wild acrossd her face, “Give me those supplies you brought me!”

And oh he had gotten her so many wonderful little things! Tools! Gears! Bits and bobs and ooooh she was getting so many ideas! She could use these, yes she could!

Right but what problem could she solve with these supplies? They needed a place to hide their things after all!

Aaaah but there were so many options! All of which they should use in case the first cache got found!

***

She had to sacrifice her old dress which wasn’t that big a problem seeing as it was so ruined and had so many bad memories she rather wanted to burn it. But she had managed to make both a screen that fooled the eye along their bed of straw and she had dug up the stone at their feet and made a cubby. They really needed Dino’s strength to lift that cover up as it was very very heavy, but still! Two hiding places!

She had succeeded! She’d never succeeded before! Agatha cackled and hugged Dimo while gushing about this fact.

He beamed at her and made a happy noise in his chest as he danced around with her.

He was really very nice for a jagermonster. Very strongly reminded her of her parents and all of their friends they helped out. Completely wrong about her being a Heterodyne, but well, everyone had faults.

She should help him find one after they escaped and she reassured her parents she was alive. He’d liked that, right? 

Agatha coughed as they slowed down and let go as the mad cap dance ended.

“Okay!” Agatha said briskly as she clapped her hands, “What’d I miss?”

Very little apparently. Higgs had examined the guard's room and reported where all the keys and guard’s supplies were kept. 

It was getting pretty late after that- so late it was early morning and Agatha was tired. Far past ready to sleep.

She was only vaguely aware of Dimo and Higgs quietly moving around as she stumbled over to the straw and passed out.

***

Agatha was groggy when she woke up again to the smell of food.

It still wasn’t very good food, all tasteless and bland, but she was starving. Hunger truly was the greatest spice.

Agatha noticed Sleepy and Quiet were doing the morning shift after she consumed her breakfast. Much better than having to deal with Creeper.

She finished and scooted closer to Dimo to breath out, “Anything I miss while sleeping?”

He shook his head no and Agatha relaxed. She could handle another day of horrible horrible boredom that slowed time to a turtle’s pace. After all the fable about turtles stated that slow and steady won over quick and lazy!

...Didn’t mean she would enjoy this horrendous torture, mind. But she would endure it! And once she got out she would PUNISH these FOOLS and WORTHLESS CREATURES! 

Dimo started purring, lower in his chest so he didn’t hurt his throat which distracted Agatha from her train of thought.

After a bit, Quiet left to do whatever guards did when they were not here. Probably help the Prince with his horrible sadistic experiments. Or stand around hallways doing nothing. The lucky horrible jerks, how Agatha hated and envied them.

She wanted out and she was bringing Dimo and Higgs *with* her. She buried her face into Dimo’s neck and started humming along with his purring. It was a good thing he didn’t aggravate his throat doing this.

….He *better not* be aggravating his injuries by comforting her.

Agatha leaned back, squinting at Dimo in warning. He blinked his eye at her, face befuddled.

“You better not be hurting yourself by purring,” Agatha hissed.  
He grinned, shaking his head and he wiggled around to free his hands.

‘I is healthy’ he signed.

Agatha kept up a warning look so he would behave before letting it go.  
“Waiting till nightfall is going to be the most horrendous torture,” she grumbled.

‘Is nap guard,’ Dimo signed, ‘If quiet can play’

They both checked and yes, Sleepy was still fast asleep.

“Do you think we can be that quiet?” Agatha mused. She did not want to wake him at all!

Dimo shrugged and signed, ‘I hope.’

He rubbed his chin with one hand while his other tapped a pattern against his knee with a single claw. He signed, ‘Want learn thing?’

“Depends on the thing,” Agatha answered.

‘Self shield fight.’ 

The thing about Mechanicsburg sign language was that it was mostly nouns with some verbs. Complex sentences were hard to make and so they must be inferred from simple ones. 

“Do you mean self defense?” Agatha asked.

Dimo beamed and nodded. Agatha thought a bit before nodding as well.

“That would be useful if we need to fight our way out.,” she agreed, “How do we start?”

Agatha watched in interest as Dimo looked over their available supplies and then got two mostly clean bits of cloth and some leftover twine.

It was reasonable wasn’t it? That she would have never considered this an option and thus didn’t stop him from reaching up into his mouth, grasping a fang and then ripping it out of his face.

She had to clap her hands over her mouth to keep from screaming at the blood now pouring down his chin as he grinned at her with pride. At which point he noticed she was horrified and did a full bodied cringe like- like one of those dogs that expected to be kicked.

She never *ever* wanted to see that expression on his face. Especially not caused by her! But treating his own body so carelessly! She couldn’t stand the idea at all! It made her stomach roll and her blood boil.

She was not a Heterodyne but he was most definitely her- something or other and she would not stand for what was hers being treated badly!

“Right!” she said in a high pitched voice before clearing her throat and continuing in a normal range, “Kindly do not maim yourself again please. I do not like it.”

Dimo’s eyes were wide, softly illuminating his face in wonder as he nodded. He looked down at his blood covered hands, still fiddling with his fang.

He signed, ‘Learn sneaky stab fight’ and gave her a quizzical look.

Ah. He wanted her to have a knife and thus the teeth pulling.

“We could have waited for Higgs to bring a knife you know,” she hissed as she plucked it from his hands and started fiddling it to make it more usable for her. Blood was slippery after all!

She glared at him when he shrugged unrepentantly before saying, “You will take a *bath* afterwards.”

At his sad expression she added, “If you don’t want to be punished then stop making me upset with worry.”

He nodded, still wearing an overly sad expression. It wasn’t the cringing away from her from before. More like the sad drama of well fed cats wailing about never having been fed in their entire lives.

A much better and more suited expression for his face then the previous one.

After cleaning up the blood, they moved on to Agatha learning knife fighting. It was a great deal like Lilith and Adam’s self defense lessons for Proper Young Ladies, which surprised Agatha. She would have thought a Jagermonster would teach a more improper uncouth form of fighting.

After learning how to swipe and slash they worked out how she could safely keep her new knife hidden under her dress. She did not want to knick the major artery in her leg. Seeing as they had no medical supplies and thus infection and bleeding out to death were highly probable options.

Agatha also wasn’t sure if she could bring herself to actually kill someone. She knew she had a temper, but once she calmed down she didn’t really want people dead. At least not by her own hand.

But now she knew how to slice a throat open with a knife fang. Hopefully she will never have to.

***  
After all of that, she forced Dimo to take a bath. Or at least as a good of one as they could do. A bucket and rag wasn’t much of a bath.

He was still so overly dramatically sad and mournful about it. Honestly. She didn’t even use soap.

***

Agatha gave up after that and took a nap. Since she couldn’t safely do any inventing until nightfall, might as well be nocturnal.

She woke up to Dimo’s hand on her shoulder and- oh dear she had a screwdriver in her hand and a- was that a pocket watch? The little clank designs she had stuck in her head that never worked? Why was she making one of _those_ in her **sleep**?!

Agatha looked around blearily for her glasses and then took another clearer look around.

Dimo was giving her just the softest mushest expression as he sat far away from her in the cell. Higgs was over by the bars, with the next load of supplies, also looking relaxed and fond.

She frowned at them before deciding she did not want to know and instead said, “I’m ready for supplies and update now, Mister Higgs.”

The supplies were more simple tools and bits of wires and gear and machinery. Well, she hadn’t needed any more clothes or things after all!

The information was more details about how the castle was laid out. He’d gotten down enough to see a Geisterdamen but not enough to find where the whole lot of them lived.

“The tunnels and the deep downs, they’re a mess of a maze,” Higgs said, “Could easily get lost in them for years.” 

“No maps of the area?”

“Only ones I found are of the upper areas and they don’t connect. Or at least they don’t connect any more. Some of the tunnels got caved in when the deep downs monsters got too ravenous.”

Well that was annoying. Guiding out on kites was still looking to be their best plan.

Dimo got their attention by waving his hands. He then signed out ‘Wild oath kin near?’

Higgs looked thoughtful at that as he said, “Huh. Don’t rightly know.”

“What is it and is it something we can use?” Agatha asked.

Higgs proceeded to give her an explanation about who the wild Jagers were and what they were doing. Dimo ended up being one which was why the Baron would not consider his capture an uprising.

The previous people Higgs and Dimo had talked about were all members of Dimo’s squad and also wild, “So they can operate without the Baron’s say so,” Agatha summarized.

“Should be able,” Higgs agreed, “Problem would be getting hold of them.”

At this point Agatha noticed that her little pocket watch clank was getting very exploratory. She scooped it up and offered it to Higgs.

“Well this little guy may or may not be a help. But it can’t stay here, the guards will notice it,” she said.

Higgs nodded as he accepted the little clank and examined it before hiding it in his hat.

The rest of the conversation was spent bringing Agatha up to speed on who the rest of Dimo’s squad was. 

(Jenka who had asked Higgs to check, Fust and Kith who were both feral, Filly who was old, Dinreel a rare Jager with the Spark as well as Dimo’s twice sister-twin, and finally young Kore, also a Spark and Dimo’s daughter.)

After that, Agatha spent the rest of the night inventing things with what she had, as well as giving Higgs a list of parts she could use. She focused on small things that could help them when they escaped that could also be easily hidden. Deathrays, little scout clanks, clever little ideas like that.

When it got close to morning, she hid all her little inventions and went back to bed for a quick nap. Dimo would wake her when the food came.

***

Next day was the same. She spent pretty much all of it curled up with Dimo on the bed, sleeping save for waking up for food and to do business in the waste bucket.

Thankfully she didn’t do any sleep building but she did get repeatedly yelled at and threatened for humming. Black fire did she despise these guards. A little bit of humming wasn’t worth shooting someone!

But eventually Higgs came back for his night shift, bearing very good news.

“I managed to find Jenka’s camp and left a note, but couldn’t wait for her to return,” he said, smiling. It was a lot smaller and quieter then the wide grins Agatha was used to but it still emanated joy.

He lifted his hand and let the pocket watch clank climb onto his other hand as he continued, “This little fellow has been a great boon, Miss.”

She straightened at that. Something *she* built that was a great boon? Her heart swelled with wiggling joy at hearing that!

“What do you mean?” she asked.

In answer, Higgs leaned back on his heels and whistled. There was shuffling and dinging noise and then a mob, a hoard of little pocket watch clanks appeared, slipping out of the most unexpected of places.

“At this rate you’ll have a whole squad worth of helpers in two days,” Higgs said.

Agatha burst out laughing, clapping her hands together in glee as she danced around. She was going to escape and win and show them all! Even with the torturous day time wait of horrendous boredom!

She then spent a lively lovely hour having an in depth conversation with Higgs and the clever little clank about their plans. Higgs had good maps of the main castle and town. The tunnels below- still were undiscovered.

Sadly, the sewer lines were all inaccessible. All the ways connecting the castle to the town were either too small, too blocked up, or too deadly. The kite plan was still their best option.

They would have to wait for tomorrow night for a reply from Dino’s squad.

“Hopefully, we can have them nearby. If they can’t storm the castle, then they can act as guards for the landing spot and a hidden camp outside town,” Higgs explained.

Agatha hummed as she examined the maps before asking detailed questions about the weather. Flight kites greatly depended on the wind for distance and direction. Annoying. Perhaps she could *improve* that?

Yes, of course! It was so simple! Getting the supplies would be very tricky, unless they could quietly raid a lab! 

“We’ll see what we can do,” Higgs promised once she explained what would be needed to build the improved kites.

The rest of the night passed the same as yesterday. She alternated between building easily hidden things, practicing the self defense Dimo was teaching, and planning the escape with Higgs. After the shift change and eating breakfast, she went to sleep the day away.

****

The next night, Higgs had the good news of having managed to get hold of Dimo’s squad. They now knew they would be needed in two spots. The expected landing area in town and a sequire camp in the woods. Once at the camp, they would have successfully escaped.

“So tonight or tomorrow would be the best time to escape,” Agatha said thoughtfully, “Let's go for tomorrow. I am done being stuck in this stupid cell and I incredably do not want to waste our only shot to failure.”

Higgs grinned, teeth a slash of sharp white as he removed his pipe to nod, “As you wish, Miss Agatha.”

Higgs and Dimo suddenly stiffened, heads snapping to the staircase as they both heard someone coming down. Agatha frowned as she went back to being a hopeless sad prisoner. This was different. She didn’t like it. Anything new was a possible danger to them escaping.

Soon the noise from the *many* approaching footsteps was audible to Agatha’s ears as well. Even sooner, the first person became visible.

Agatha flinched as the first Gesterdamen entered the room, followed by the Prince Strumvorious, followed by an unknown young man who looked related, then by more Gesiterdamen and the guards.

Oh no. This was terrible timing!

She felt a soft stinging on her neck and a wave of paralytic sensation flowed through her, locking her muscles and causing her to fall into Dimo’s arms

Dimo snarled as he gently lowered her to the floor before getting between her body and the group. He was crouched over, arms spread and claws ready. Higgs was no longer in Agatha’s view of vision, so she had no idea what he was doing. She could only scream in her heart, rage building and building- overwhelming water pressure behind a groaning creaking dam wit to burst. 

She hadn’t noticed the attack coming at all, but she remembered this sensation. It was the same damn drug they used to carry her here!

This wasn’t *fair*!

*Something* hit Dimo who grunted and then snarled.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Veilchen!,” the prince snapped, “That is a jagermonster. He’s immune. Now then!”

The prince’s voice slipped into a proper ranting tone, “Did you really think you could just do as you please Questor?”

What. Red fire! They thought Higgs was a Questor!

…*Was* he a Questor? It made a frightening amount of sense! He was capable of sneaking around a heavily armed castle, was helping prisoners unjustly kidnapped, and was operating where the Baron couldn’t afford to. He also had such a forgettable face and didn’t get surprised by *anything*.

But he also thought she was a Heterodyne which was clearly a symptom of idiocy so he couldn't possibly be a Questor.

Higgs’s voice still sounded incredibly bored as he answered, “Maybe so.” 

“Ha! Well you were wrong and I know how to deal with you Questors! Not only will you fail to stop the Lady from returning, you will help bring her back.”

“Huh,” Higgs said and then there was only the sound of punches and screams from- yeah that was someone’s bones breaking. 

Confounded it, she hated this paralytic more than she had hated anything in her life! She couldn’t *see* what was going on and relying on her hearing wasn’t enough data! Eventually, the struggle started heading towards one of the corridors and then- black lighting, further down into the maze of tunnels. It would be *hard* to rescue Higgs as he was the one with the directional knowledge.

Once the sounds of struggling died down the Prince started to say something about a Muse. Agatha only had a few seconds to boggle at the horrible idea of this terrible person having an actual Muse before a new male voice interrupted.

“But Father, I thought you were not done with the Jagermonster?”

This must be the obvious relation Agatha had seen in the back. She hated him already. How dare he throw away *her* friend! Once she was out she was going to destroy them *all* as slowly and painfully as they *deserved*!

“That is true,” Agatha’s worst enemy that she was going to CRUSH BENEATH HER HEEL said, sounding thoughtful and uncaring of how much she hated him, “Making the next girl more durable might improve her chances of survival.”

She could see Dimo’s head turning back and forth watching something beyond Agatha’s area of vision. He crouched lower, half turning so she could see his hands, while he kept his eye on the enemy.

‘I win time’ he signed to her before standing up with his hands raised in surrender.

It took one third of a second for knowledge to spark and cascade in Agatha’s mind as she worked out Dimo’s plan. It took even less time for her to lose awareness of the next sequence of events to sheer utter mindless rage. How dare Dimo throw his life away for her! He was not replaceable! She was going to burn this castle *down*, slaughtering all the people if that was what it took to save him!

She came back to noticing the cold stone leaching heat from her locked down body as the last of the guards headed up the stairs. Only Creepy was still here. Even worse he was leering at her, letting her know without words about what he was thinking of doing to her.

...But even better. He had the keys while not having any backup. The only question would be if he would stay alone once the paralytic wore off.

She had an *idea*.

***

It took much less time than previously for the paralytic to wear off. Agatha could think of multiple possible reasons for that but honestly, the actual factual reason was unimportant. She could move around and she could start her rescue mission. 

She was going to save both of them as well as herself. Any other result wasn’t acceptable.

First: Needed to get the key from Creepy. She had a plan but she wasn’t sure if she was able to do the most important part of it.

He was settled in the chair, still leering and looking at her, in a way that made her feel like she needed a bath. She hated it, she hated *him*.

It made it hard to check if her fang knife was in easy reach. Agatha turned her face away from his sight, took a deep breath, and then slowly let it out as she relaxed her muscles. She had a plan and she would succeed. Any other outcome was unacceptable.

Creepy was too busy thinking with his genitals, after all, to out think her.

Agatha has shifted the front of her dress down to showcase as much of her bosom as possible, as well as arranging her face into a teary eyed desperation expression. Well, as much of one as she could make right now.

Dealing with hateful professors and cruel teachers was currently a boon as she’d learned through experience how to make herself small, non threatening, and submissive.

Agatha had to make sure not to meet his eyes. She was positive her hatred would shine out there.

She asked in a wobbly voice, “Sir, I don’t think I ever got your name.”

He smirked, eyes glued to her chest and he said, “Andy Tudor.

Agatha cleared her throat, thought about trying to make it sound nice and then dismissed that plan. Now was not the time for experimentation in seducious vocal harmonics. Dimo and Higgs were counting on her and she was not going to fail!

“Mister Tudor,” she said in a whisper, keeping her eyes lowered, “I’m really worried. I don’t think I can survive if Mister Jager doesn’t come back.”

Creepy jerk was breathing hard as he now started looking gleefully triumphant, “Oh yeah you’re a helpless girl. Need a strong man now huh?”

‘Don’t look up, just keep your eyes down on the floor,’ Agatha furiously thought to herself, ‘He might still be intelligent enough to realise you hate him if you look up.’

“As- as you say, sir,” she said- trying to make her voice wobble. She was angry enough to make her voice shake, but she wanted him to think she was beaten *down* enough to come inside. Agatha stared wide eyed at the floor, and focused on the idea of if she wasn’t fast enough to get to her Jager before he was killed. That caused sorrow to pierce her heart and her eyes to tear up.

That was enough for her to raise her head, letting Creepy see her tear eyed face. He was beaming, looking more and more delighted in her pain.

“I could be you big strong man,” Creepy jeered, face getting more and more sinisterly creepy as he kept smiling at her all smug and gleeful.

“Well, yes, you’re very strong,” Agatha said, “But would you protect me?”

“Maybe, if you made it my while,” Creepy said, leaning back on his heels, his belief in his victory radiating off him.

Agatha hesitated, having to focus once more on the thought of Dimo and Higgs dying so that she did not explode in sheer rage.

“I- I never done. Any of the things you keep implying,” she said, “I am pretty sure the jagermonster just wanted a pet to snuggle, not a um. Woman to play with.”

Judging by Creeper’s reaction he really liked that. He reached out and turned the bars off, the ever present hum of electricity dying down with a soft whine.

Agatha trembled, aching to act as Creeper then unlocked the cell door. Her hand tightened around the fang as he swagger in, smug and undoing his belt.

Almost. Aaaaaalmost. She needed his pants mostly off as she wasn’t sure how sharp the fang was.

As the trousers hit the floor and Creeper started leaning over her, Agatha lashed out, fast as a snake, to surgically cut open his femoral artery.

As Creeper fell down screaming, Agatha scrambled to get him prone and then slashed out again, this time cutting across his throat, aiming to cut off his wailing noise. She did not want him to alert the other guards!

His screams suddenly cut off with a gurgle and then Agatha simply had to keep holding him down and wait for him to finish dying.

Well. That answered that question. She was both able and willing to kill someone. She also didn’t regret a thing. 

She supposed this was why they kept falsely thinking she was a Heterodyne. She was capable of such deadly violence.

When Agatha was sure he was dead, she stood up, tisking over how much blood spray had gotten all over her face and chest and hands. A quick search for the keys and any other useful bit she could use, and Agatha strode out of the cell for the first time in days.

She was humming in thought as the clever little clanks she had made swarmed from the crevices in the walls, clustering around her feet.

Once they were all gathered, Agatha looked down for the first one.

“You,” she said, voice echoing and vibrating in strange harmonious, “Can you take half of this mob and track down Higgs? Map out the tunnels, so I can go rescue him *later*. I’ll take the other half and rescue Dimo *now*.”

The prime dinged at her as the mob separated into two, half heading down the hall after Higgs. Agatha’s half stayed with her as she turned her attention to the guardstation.

Her fang knife was a reliable sweetheart, but she needed something long ranged and powerful. She wanted a deathray, but would settle for anything that worked

After a close examination as Agatha kept humming in thought, she grinned. Yeeees. She could use this.

She glanced up at the ceiling, her smile widening. She was in not only a Prince’s castle but a *Madboy* Prince’s castle. The farther long she went the more clever little inventions and defenses she could take over and reuse to her own purpose.

***

Her plan was simplicity in itself, practical. boring, and most importantly *workabled*. As Agatha and her tiny clank army ascended the castle, searching every room, they would strip the room of usable parts to make better death rays for her, and exponentially increase the horde of clanks. Some of the newer ones were more weapons then the previous style of tools.

The servants and minions that tried to flee when Agatha ordered them gone, she left alone, The guardsmen, however, would attack before she could speak and thus had to be shot down. Or cut down, or mobed, or exploded or dissolved by acid, depending on which part of the clank army got to them.

What a lovely, wonderful army she had! 

At one lab not only was the probable son there but so was the corpse of some woman and two Muses.

The Muses were a surprise and gave her a moment's pause. But Dimo was in danger and so was Higgs. She could not- would not get distracted.

“Where,” Agatha said as she aimed her death ray at the heir and her mob of tiny clanks got louder in warning , ”Is my Jagermonster?”

One of the Muses, the one not hooked up to the corpse, got between Agatha and her enemy and bowed, low enough to look submissive but still high enough to be clocking Agatha’s deathray. Agatha had served multiple Sparks for long enough to know how honestly impressive a feat that was.

“Lady Heterodyne,” the Muse started saying before Agatha interrupted.

“I am *not* a Heterodyne,” she snapped, deathray now including the two Muses in her aiming, “My name is Agatha Clay and I want my Jagermonster *back*.”

The Muse, despite having a metal porcelain appear face, somehow manage to convey confusion and terror.

“He’s with Father in Father’s lab,” the heir blurted out, “Now how about you calm down, Miss Clay.”

“Where is the lab?” she replied instead of calming down. She would not calm down until she had DEFEATED all her ENEMIES.

The Muse attached to the corpse raddled off a set of directions, which Agatha accepted with a nod. She was going to have her clever little army double check they were true.

Hmmm. While the heir was probably her enemy, the Muses were not. They had in fact helped. She would help them in return

“I am going to bring this castle to the ground,” she informed them, “You should flee while you have the chance.”

There was a pause as the corpse-attached Muse and the heir glanced at each other before agreeing.

Agatha didn’t turn her back on them as she stepped back out of the lab. They were not her allies and she could not afford to trust them.

Once outside she heard an argument of whispers enrupt from within that she ignored. They were unimportant. She had her Jagermonster and her Questor to rescue.

She kept heading upwards and onwards, her army swirling around her like a metal wave of surf.

***

The Prince’s lab had guards outside as well as one of those purple dressed sneaks. Her lovely little army of clanks dealt with the purple cloak. He hadn’t noticed them at all but they certainly saw *him*. He went down screaming, covered in fire, bits of him dissolving from acid. As he deserved for making Agatha paralysed once more.

The guards themselves dove out of her way once Agatha yelled at them. Finally! A pair of guard that were smarter than they were loyal to such a horrible disgusting *thing*. The door itself melted quite nicely to her death ray.

She didn’t give the mad prince any time to defend himself. She just strode in and fired repeatedly, screaming all the while.

Once the corpse couldn’t move anymore and the far wall had many holes to the outside, Agatha lowered her death ray, and panted. 

The lab was surprisingly tidy and sterilized for a Spark. There would be no lab accidents *here*. One of the Geisterdamen was gaping at Agatha, distracted enough to let the mob of dingbots bring her down. Agatha dismissed her as unimportant.

Dimo was the most important and he was currently very thoroughly tied down on the medical slam, one arm cut open, staring at Agatha with- with the sappiest, softest expression anyone had ever looked at Agatha with. 

How *dare* he!

Agatha snarled as she stormed over, snapped open the buckles as she ranted, “How dare you! You are mine and you are not allowed to simply abandon me like this! You are not some coin to be spent!”

He stared at her, his single eye wide with wonder and-and such trust and faith that Agatha had never encountered before. 

A soft wheezing noise escaped him as he tried to reply, followed closely by an expression of sheer annoyance. His left arm was too sliced open for experimentation for him to move it. The right, however, was fine and once Agatha finished unbuckling him, he sat up and wrapped her in a one armed hug.

She burst into tears, too overwhelmed by relief and still thrumming rages to remain calm. Agatha took deep gasping breaths trying to calm down because they were not *done*, they were still in danger, deep in enemy territory. She needed to fix his arm enough that they could go and save Higgs before escaping.

She hiccuped and stepped back trying to dry her face as best she could. Her hands were still, after all, covered in blood, grease, and oil.

Agatha examined the room. Her army of clever little clanks carpeted the floor, the Gesiterdamen was tied up and surrounded by the more aggressive clanks, and this was a well stocked and well organized lab. She’s never gotten around to the medical classes but she’d read the theory. She should be able to sow up Dino’s arm.

“We’re going to need to head to a proper doctor after we rescue Higgs,” Agatha told him absently as she gathered up tools, cleaned her hands and then got to work, “I have no training in how to do this.”

Dimo frowned, she would have assumed from pain but he didn’t flinch at all from her sewing so that couldn’t be it, before stared at the ceiling, chest giving off a low rumbling purr.

It only took her a few minutes to finish. While she was glad her stitches were neat and even, Agatha was still worried she had messed up. She’d never done any doctoring before!

Dimo looked okay as he got off the table. He was holding his arm a bit oddly, but no other obvious injuries.

Another glance around the lab, noting there was nothing else to do but scavenge for better supplies. The geisterdamen was too cowed by the clanks to do anything but gap at Agatha

But she did not know how many allies she had. Best to question her.

Agatha readied her death ray, aimed it and said, voice vibrating with command harmonics, “Tell me what I need to know to save Mister Higgs and then escape.”

The geisterdamen spilled her metaphoric guts. The facts were dire. Almost a full hundred slaver hives, hundreds of geisterdamen guards and an utter twisting warren of passages.

Right. First, finding the long distance communication device this prince used to communicate with the Baron and report all the slaver hives. Hopefully by then the other horde of dingbots would have found him and they could get the rest of Dimo’s squad and go rescue Higgs.

But first she had to keep this geisterdamen from alerting the others. Hmmmm. When someone was attacking her or had been making it very clear they were desperately wanting to harm her, Agatha had no problem killing them. Someone who is already defeated and captured, well she couldn’t do it. 

She compromised with rope and some of the mob to stand guard.

***

As they headed back down to the dungeon, the only entrance Agatha knew of to the deep tunnels, she asked Dimo, “Is there anyone capable of repairing Jagermonsters? I might be able to help with anything shared with baseline humans but that is the limit of my medical knowledge. The augmented creatures and inhuman biologically classes I was planning on joining next semester.”

Dimo beamed and nodded. 

“I’ll have to ask your squad when we find them,” Agatha mused. Afterall his arm wasn’t working properly to sign and his voice was still removed and they didn’t really have writing impediments right now.

Wait, could he even read and write?

No, focus! She had very important things critical to surviving to do! Learning wonderful fascinating treasures of information had to be delayed! It was horrendously difficult and unpleasant to experience, but she would do it anyway!

Of course right after she mastered herself, more dinging echoed down the hall and the other half of the tiny clank mob came into view, Higgs hale and hearty in their midst.

Agatha screamed and flung herself at him in ecstatic glee. They could leave *now* instead of days later!

But first! Agatha tightened her hands on Higgs’s label and shook him while roaring, “How **dare** you not tell me you were a Questor and then- worst!- go and make me _worry_!”

His face was no longer the dull, seen it all expression he’d always had as Agatha rattled him. Higgs now had the same wide eyed expression of wonder and quiet glowing joy Dimo had given her.

They were both so ridiculous! Was this something all men do or was it just a Mechanicsburg thing?

Whatever the reason it was irrelevant! They could now LEAVE, and head towards Dimo’s doctor person and then- something. She hadn’t planned past that but she WOULD once they GOT THERE.

“Right!” Agatha said, stepping back, and calming down as she rubbed her hands together, “Do you have evidence we can send the Baron about the slaver hives?”

“Yes, Miss,” Higgs said.

“Does this place have a way of sending it?”

“Yes, Miss.”

“Then lead the way there. We’ll have him raze this place to the ground for us. I have other more important things to do!”

“...Really?”

Agatha gestured at Dimo before pausing as she noticed he had stolen pants from somewhere. When did he have time for that? 

She shook herself and then answered Higgs, “I haven’t taken my medical classes yet so I need help fixing Dimo up.”

Higgs’s expression had settled back down to his steady calm one, with the only difference being he no longer looked bored. The glowing joy from before still lingered in his eyes, quietly brightening his face.

“The long distance communication rooms are this way, Miss,” Higgs said, giving Agatha a polite nod as he offered his arm to her.

“Lead on, Mister Higgs,” Agatha replied primly, as she accepted, “I don’t know how much time we have so we best hurry. At least a little.”

***

The long distance messages room was horribly tempting to Agatha. It was so fascinating and she knew she could improve the mirrors! However, they really really didn’t have the time for her to take it apart and ferret out all its secrets.

But the message was passed along and they needed to leave. Since she had already utterly destroyed any present enemies, they could just walk out the front door and cross the drawbridge!

As they crossed it, Agatha noticed the muses from before. The corpse attracted to the one had been placed into an intriguing device- clearly aimed at health and keeping- oh it wasn’t a corpse it was a very damaged person.

Black fire, Agatha hadn’t known a baseline human could survive that level of destruction.

There was a long pause as both groups stared at each other. Agatha broke the silence to ask, “Are you three going to get in the way of our escape?”

The muse hooked up to the corpse said, “Obviously not. Is father dead?”

There was a confused pause before Higgs said slowly, “Pretty sure Van Rijn has been dead for two hundred years.”

The Muse’s face didn’t react, which lead Agatha to realize she was much less well built then the other. 

Her voice didn’t change tone either as she said, “I am not built by Van rijn. My brother here,” a gesture at the prince before continuing, “Built me to help me survive. I am Princess Avanka of Strumhulten.”

Agatha felt her brain sparking as she connected the bits of information she had and made an hyposnus.

“You’re the princess who was doing biological experiments with that worthless wretch of a prince when I was first dragged here!” Agatha exclaimed as she snapped her fingers, “I did not expect to meet you again!”

“Ah-” the- well she wasn’t properly a Muse but Agatha was mostly sure she didn’t count as a princess anymore. Anyway the lady stumbled on her words, flat footed and clearly trying to hide it before gathering herself. It helped that her face and voice didn’t show any of her emotions at all, which. Huh. How did Agatha pick up on her feeling off balanced?

Actually, that was both irrelevant and unimportant as they needed to leave.

“Right, yes, the prince whoever is dead, the Baron has been informed, and we are leaving,” Agatha rattled off before brisking resuming to walk over the bridge. She called out behind her, “Higgs which direction was the squad?”

As Higgs directed her, Agatha strode off, followed by her army of tiny clanks, her Jagermonster, and a Baron’s questors. She was going to collect the rest of Dimo’s squad, get them to Mechanicsburg so Dimo could get healed, and then she was going to go back home to Beetleburg and reassure her parents that she was okay before diving back into her studies where she would show all those cruel mocking jerks how amazing she was now that she broke through.

And absolutely nothing would stop her or stand in her way!

***

Several weeks later, Agatha sat down on entirely too many human skulls to sulk with a slightly bleeding arm in the creepy Heterodyne test room of Castle Heterodyne. All right, fine, she had to change her goals, but she was *not* going to be happy about it!

None of them were even going to gloat properly at her which would be the worst, most annoying part of being wrong.


End file.
